Hourinji Castle
Hōrinjijō is a yamajiro (mountaintop castle) ruin between the townships of Hōrinji and Yamaguchi in Motosu Municipality. Ruins consist of earthworks such as baileys and trenches. This single bailey complex has terraced sub-baileys along each ridge leading to the flattened peak. The main bailey has s
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History
Hōrinjijō is obscure in the historical record. For more information see Ikoyamajō...
Field Notes
Hōrinjijō is a yamajiro (mountaintop castle) ruin between the townships of Hōrinji and Yamaguchi in Motosu Municipality. Ruins consist of earthworks such as baileys and trenches. This single bailey complex has terraced sub-baileys along each ridge leading to the flattened peak. The main bailey has slight terracing to the fore and aft. To the rear are the remains of a horikiri (trench) hidden in the ferns. Along the main hiking route, en route to Yamaguchijō, the ridge has been terraced into at least three platforms, and these terraces further feature horikiri spanned by dobashi (earthen bridges). The highlight for me was seeing these horikiri with dobashi between the terraces in the lower castle area.
| Castle Profile | |
|---|---|
| English Name | Hourinji Castle |
| Japanese Name | 法林寺城 |
| Founder | Unknown |
| Year Founded | Sengoku Period |
| Castle Type | Mountaintop |
| Castle Condition | Ruins only |
| Historical Period | Pre Edo Period |
| Artifacts | Horikiri, Dobashi, Koshikuruwa, &c. |
| Features | trenches |
| Visitor Information | |
| Access | Oribe or Motosu stations on the Tarumi Railway. Hike from Ikoyamajō or Yamaguchijō. |
| Hours | 24/7 free; mountain |
| Time Required | 45 mins |
| Location | Motosu, Gifu Prefecture |
| Coordinates | 35.51114, 136.67989 |
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| Admin | |
| Added to Jcastle | 2025 |
| Contributor | ART |
| Admin Year Visited | Viewer Contributed |
| Friends of JCastle | |
| Jōkaku Hōrōki | |
| Kyūtarō no Sengoku Shiro Meguri | |
| Yogo | |
